Norwegian soldiers complain about unfamiliar equipment, ranging from combat vests and weapons to vehicles.

"Certain soldiers that have come to Afghanistan have received equipment that they have never used before. In reality, soldiers begin their training in Afghanistan, and this is obviously unfortunate," said national representative for military conscripts Eivind Nævdal-Bostad.

Nævdal-Bostad and the other members of the Conscript Council visited the Norwegian forces in Afghanistan earlier this year and recorded the discontent there.

"The soldiers complained of, among other things, personal equipment - combat vests, hand guns, and requested more armored vehicles," Nævdal-Bostad told NTB.

Other complaints involved unnecessarily heavy protective gear and a lack of helicopters for evacuating wounded.

The Defense sent more armored vehicles to Afghanistan earlier this year and Defense Minister Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen said earlier this week that two or three helicopters would be sent in 2008.

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